Westen
Westen is the primary continent of mankind, and home to the once-mighty Imperium of Fire and Steel. It received its name from the first settlers, who arrived from distant lands in the East. History Pre-Human Before humanity appeared, monstrous forces ruled the lands. The elves kept safe in their forests, while the dwarves hid under the mountains. The gnomes made their homes alongside the larger folk, whether under tree or rock. Dragons, Beholders, and many other horrific figures dominated every glade, vale, and pasture. Much of this history is lost to time and war, but it is certain that this period of unrest lasted for a couple millennia. Some time before the Age of Light, the elvish people split in two: the natives of their homeland, and the "high" elves of the mainland. Age of Light The Imperial calendar begins with the first human expedition to Westen. A caravan of explorers traveled across the Great Waste, arriving south of the Arid Sea. After uprooting the inhabiting hobgoblin legion, they created the first human town, Freywell. The first century was filled with troubles. The dark forces that inhabited the land fought back: they lost, but not without cost to the humans. However, they found allies with the gnomes of the forest and the dwarves of the mountains. As more and more humans crossed the wasteland, they soon found themselves in need of a king. In the 56th year of the Age of Light, the Triple Sovereignty was born of these three peoples, an alliance that solidified peace for the Silver South. By the turn of the century, humanity had spread their influence as far as the port of Boatswell. The Ellevonne Dominion also grew in power, expanding from Vinhill to their first "city", Nilan Dorei. Eventually, these two nations shared borders, and after a handful of skirmishes a treaty was created in 201. By the turn of the next century, the Emerald Shores saw peace for the first time. The Triple Sovereignty stretched from Dimwood to Freywell, and prospered along the sturdy dwarves and cunning gnomes. Those who lived in the region of Cayden grew short over the years, and became known as halflings. Dawn of the Imperium In the 6th century of the Age of Light, the dwarven holds in the Celestial Stairs dug deep into the Underdark, unleashing an untold number of terrors. The so-called Dark Horde overwhelmed the great halls, forcing the people to abandon their ancient homes. Mankind called to arms, but the King, Alan Leikfell, proposed that the focus should be on defense, not offense. The general of the army, Tedbald Reimund, withdrew to Velacos where he continued to plan an attack along with the two other kingdoms. The offensive was successful if costly, and while they drove back the Horde they stopped short of reclaiming the grand halls. All the while, Leikfell condemned Reimund's actions, demanding he return under the rule of the king. Reimund instead secured Velacos and declared himself emperor. War soon broke as the Imperials and Loyalists clashed along the coast. Most of the people were loyal to the king, but but Reimund found help from his dwarf and gnome allies. The battles continued from the first declaration in 597 to the final Siege of Freywell in 691, marking the end of the Triple Sovereignty and the start of the Imperium of Fire and Steel. Age of Might The Empire's influence grew quickly. Dozens of ships carried hopeful colonists to the Stormshield Islands, where they settled on any rock that would support them. They found themselves in the company of a scaled people known as the Ka Lohi, or dragonborn. Many halflings spread past Cayden to tame new lands. With no enemies to the south, the armies of men could freely march to the Ellevonne Dominion once more. However, they found that in the centuries of peace the elves remained fierce warriors: legends say a single bladesinger could defeat a hundred good men. Wars would continue for over 300 years. The halflings eventually became sympathetic to the elves, and in 951 declared independence from the Empire. The gnomish invention of dragonsalt gave the Imperium new weapons, allowing them to stay the tide of two strong kingdoms. The Wars of Man and Elf came to a head at the 3rd Battle of Cayden, more commonly known as the Cayden Massacre. In 1012, Emperor Franz Reimund sent his entire army of mages and musketeers to quell the Dominion once and for all. The elves anticipated this, and prepared massive wards around the region. The armies clashed on December 11. Five days later, the arcanists found their powers growing uncontrollably; a fireball became a meteor, a lightning bolt a swirling hurricane. The ensuing carnage resulted in the destruction of the Imperial and elvish forces. The remainder of the Imperial Army marched north, where they captured the capital and slaughtered every noble house. The Kingdom of Atharein kept their army at bay, for a threat of goblins emerged at their northern border. For half a century the empire struggled to maintain their borders with the remnants of their once all-powerful army. Emperor Paul Reimund offset this by forming the Wayfarer Initiative, a network of adventurers and mercenaries that can be easily dispatched to aid the border towns. Age of Ash In 1114, a band of prisoners escaped alongside with a half-orc, Joanevork. The so-called Doombringer made plans to use the Heartbeat of the World to bring an end to the mighty empire. The prisoners, with the help of the dragon Taevarth, defeated him, but allowed for the destruction of Velacos and the Imperium as a result.. The Ellevonne Dominion find themselves free for the first time in a century. To the south, the bellows and forges of the Iron Crags turn to new work. Politics The Silver Kingdom The Imperium was an immense country. Once the largest power of the known world, they are no more than a handful of splintered cities and towns. Stormshield Islands The Islands were originally colonies of the Imperium. Without an emperor to follow, Governor Dargen declared himself Lord-Regent of the Isles, and now rules over all the colonies of the late empire. Ellevonne Dominion The Elvish ruling class was killed during the Cayden Massacre. Without the Empire to keep them suppressed, the remnants of the Dominion question who is worthy of leading them. Some survivors of noble clans and houses call upon their allies to display their power and authority. Meanwhile, others turn their focus to the restoration of the Nish Vilae, the Throne in the Vale. Iron Crags Most dwarves today hail from the Iron Crags, despite their pride and legacy coming from the Celestial Stairs. Their High King, Thelrik Devilslayer, has remained in power. His son, Thalrik, is the Councilor for the peninsula of Barazadd. Covered in frozen hills and jagged peaks, the land is not for the faint of heart. Only dwarves, gnomes and the hardiest of men choose to live here. Kingdom of Atharein While the Hearthland does have a king, Bruno, the cities self-govern in all but times of war. The people are spread throughout the fertile hills in dozens of hamlets, each within a day’s walk from a more defendable town. Economy There are three major routes through the region. The Silver Road, the oldest and most developed, stretches from Argent to Velacos. The road then continues northward, splitting into Gallows Road and the Forodren. The former hugs the foot of the Celestial Stairs and leads to Atharein, while the latter carries travelers to the Ellevonne Dominion. These trade routes connected the nations, all converging on the capital, Velacos. However, now each road stands alone again, as the hub has become a gaping chasm. Geography Mountains Celestial Stairs Iron Crags Fiendish Cliffs Water Frazzagud Broken Streams Delathain Lutum Miotal Flora and Fauna Culture